Emmanuel Macron calls for 'mobilisation' as he rings war alarm bells

By Jon King, News Reporter

Emmanuel Macron says to be free in this world, we must be feared (Image: Getty)

Emmanuel Macron has called for mobilisation and announced £5.6billion in extra military spending amid threats from Russia, terrorism and cyber attacks. The French president made the call on the eve of France's Bastille Day national holiday on Monday (July 14).

He called for intensified efforts to protect Europe and to support Ukraine in its war against Russia's full-scale invasion. Calling for mobilisation, he said: "To be free in this world, we must be feared. To be feared, we must be powerful."

Mr Macron said France would aim to spend £55.6bn (64bn euros) in annual defence spending by 2027, which will be the final year of his second term. That amount is double the £27.8bn (32bn euros) in annual spending when he became president in 2017.

The president said in his speech to France's military top brass: "Since 1945 freedom has never been so threatened and never so seriously. We are experiencing a return to the fact of a nuclear threat and a proliferation of major conflicts."

He insisted France can find the money to spend more on its military even while trying to bring down the country's huge national debt.

Mr Macron said Europe was in danger due to Russia’s war in Ukraine, wars in the Middle East and because the United States has added a form of uncertainty.

Other dangers he pointed to included online disinformation campaigns by foreign governments and propaganda operations targeting children in the "screen era".

He also ordered France’s top military and defence officials to start a strategic dialogue with European partners about the role the French nuclear arsenal could play in protecting Europe.

In an exceptional move, France and Britain agreed in recent days to cooperate on nuclear defence issues.

The head of the French military, General Thierry Burkhard, recently outlined risks emanating from Russia which go beyond Ukraine's borders. He said Russia was disrupting the trajectories of satellites to jam or spy on them; is involved in undersea infrastructure sabotage and leads disinformation campaigns in France and Africa.

General Burkhard also said Russian attack submarines penetrate the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean while aircraft often face Russian military planes over the Black Sea, Syria, the Mediterranean and North Atlantic.

Mr Macron's speech came ahead of US President Donald Trump saying on Monday he would punish Russia with tariffs if there wasn't a deal to end the war in Ukraine within 50 days.

Mr Trump has been meeting the head of NATO in Washington DC for two days of talks. The US leader has announced plans to sell NATO allies weaponry which they can then pass on to Ukraine.